How Do You Respond to "That" Question?

I'm going to have to do a bit of venting, and then I want your opinion.

Today I was at the gym, minding my own business, wearing a shirt that said "faculty" on it I got from my school when we did a farewell flash mob for the seniors a few years ago.  A guy that I would guess was in his late forties I've never seen before comes up to me and says, "I've seen your shirt and I've always wonder what school you work at."  So that's kind of weird, but OK.  So I tell him, and he asks what I teach and I say I'm a librarian and he says, "That's must be fun.  I have a friend who's a librarian.  Do you have a library science degree?" "Yes."  "I've always wondered why a degree is needed." "..."

This has probably happened to you.  It has happened to me multiple times.  It never stops making me angry.  This guy managed to say the two things that piss me off the most.  First, "that must be fun."  I love my job.  I love being a librarian.  I do it because I love it and I think it's important.  And yes, it is often quite fun.  But it's a job, and it's hard work.  I don't sit around reading all day and cutting out paper hearts.  It's that, "Oh, what a cute job.  How fun.  You must really love kids."  Does anyone say to a plumber they must really love toilets?  Does anyone anyone tell a stockbroker, "Oh, I envy you, that sounds like fun?"  It's insulting.  People who work in the arts, kindergarten teachers, and people who work with young children get this too.  "That must be fun."  Yes, it can be.  But when someone says that there's such a lack of respect for what we do.  Such a lack of understanding.

The second is even worse.  "Why do you need a degree in that?"  Why do I need a degree for my professional job?  Why did I take two years studying so I could perform my job to the best of my ability?  Does anyone ask a lawyer why they need a degree in that?  Why is this any different?  I got a degree so I would have a background in children's and young adult literature.  I got a degree so I would know how to manage a library.  I got a degree so I would know how to teach information literacy, to collaborate and work with faculty members, and learn how to stay up-to-date on constantly changing technologies.  I got a degree so I could learn how to integrate the core curriculum standards into my teaching.  I got a degree so I would know how to support whatever community I was in, and know how to chose items that community needs.  I got a degree so I could learn how to catalog all the items I purchase, maintain and weed my collection, and find the answer to any question that gets asked of me.  I got a degree so I could stand up for books that might be questioned by some, so that everyone in my community can feel they are represented.  I got a degree for a lot of reasons.  No, not just anyone can do my job.  Or at least not just anyone can do it well.  I guess I could be a lawyer, just a really, really crappy one.

It does not help that librarians are constantly being fired in times of budget cuts and replaced with paraprofessionals.  No, it's not the same.  It's not the same at all.  Because we don't just check out books and tell people to be quiet and read stories aloud.

Also, how do people not realize how offensive it is to ask someone why they need a degree for their career?  Especially someone you don't know?

I've decided I need to have a stock answer prepared for when this happens.  Something that I have memorized so when I'm in the moment I can just fall back on it rather than either being too angry to say anything or deciding it's not worth it and laughing it off.  I could recite Joyce Valenza's Manifesto for 21st Century Teacher Librarians, but it's kind of long.

What do you say when someone asks you that question?

The Future of School Libraries

This week there's been a bit of back and forth between two respected individuals in the school library field.  Linda W. Braun, a project management and consulting coordinator for LEO, a library consulting firm, as well as an adjunct professor at Simmons (who taught the school library technology class I took, it was excellent) and Buff Hamilton, The Unquiet Library who is a school librarian in Canton, Georgia. 

Linda wrote an article for School Library Journal called, “Next Year’s Model: Sarah Ludwig left the library, became a tech coordinator, and forged a path to the future”which talks about the work Sarah is doing in her new role as academic technology coordinator and how in many cases it's similar to the work librarians do.  Buffy Hamilton took issue with this and wrote a response "Do I Really Have to Leave the Role of School Librarian to Do the Work of a School Librarians?" which questions the idea that one has to leave the role of librarian to do the work of a librarian.

I found both articles interesting and agreed with points both Linda and Buffy made.  I agree with Buffy that one does not have to lose the title "librarian" to do much of the work that Sarah is doing in her school.  However, I do agree, as Linda points out, that much of the work Sarah is doing could be the future of school librarianship. 

There's a lot of discussion in the comment section Buffy's article, as well as on Twitter (@lbraun200, @buffyjhamilton).  Both articles are definitely worth a read.

News

What librarians make by Joyce Valenza in response to Dr. Marc Bernstein, Superintendent for the Valley Stream (NY) Central High School District who suggested "eliminating the antiquated requirement that all high schools have at least one full-time librarian and a minimum number of books."


Medallion Press launches Ya-Ya Imprint. YA books written by young adults.

10 best illustrated children's books as chosen by The Observer's Kate Kalleway.

Check out the most beautiful public libraries in the US.

The Vocation of a Librarian

I was watching this YouTube video, and had to consider how much have we changed in our career description? Do you like people? Do you like books? It sounds so simple, and is still generally applicable to our job. At the same time I want to scream "THAT'S NOT ALL WE DO!" at the computer monitor. We have come so far, and yet still have so much further to go. How do we communicate that with others that still think that we all use a card catalog, all female, shush others, and stamp books? Even our self-made products play into these stereotypes, hysterically yes, but still affirm the old-fashioned views that we are trying to get away from. Is this a losing battle?